1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to competitive, matrix type games and, more specifically, to the use of matrix type games in gaming systems. The present invention also relates to gaming systems that include primary games with bonus play in the form of multiple player matrix type games.
2. Background of Related Art
Matrix type games, including matrix type games that require a player to strategize, are known.
One example of such a game is OTHELLO, a two player game in which game disks that are one color, such as white, on one side and another color, such as black, on the other side are used. Game play begins with two disks for each player, each disk displaying the player's game play color (e.g., two black and two white), positioned in two-by-two arrangement in the four central spaces of the game matrix, with disks that appear white being located in the upper left and lower right spaces and disks that appear black being located in the upper right and lower left spaces. Turns occur in a sequential fashion, with black taking the first turn. Upon receiving a turn, a player places a disk with his or her corresponding game play color (e.g., black) at a space of the matrix in such a way as to capture at least one of the opponent's disks (e.g., one or more disks that appear white) in-line between the just-positioned disk and a disk of the same color. The disks that are captured in such a manner are then flipped to change the color thereof from the opponent's game play color to the game play color of the capturing player. When one or more disks are flipped, additional disks may not be captured. If a player cannot position a disk on the matrix in such a way as to capture one or more of his or her opponent's disks, the player skips one or more turns until a capturing opportunity arises. Game play continues until neither player can capture any of the previously positioned or flipped disks belonging to the other or until no spaces remain on the matrix. The players then tally the disks that show their corresponding colors, with the player whose color appears most often on disks that have been positioned on the matrix winning the game.
PENTE is another example of a matrix type game of skill. In PENTE, a player may win upon positioning five game pieces in sequentially adjacent, linear arrangement, or “five in a row”. Alternatively, a player may win by capturing ten of another player's game pieces. Game pieces may be captured, two at a time, by positioning two of one player's game pieces, in-line, at opposite ends of two of an opposing player's game pieces.
Gaming systems that include multiple gaming stations that communicate with one another or with a common controller, or server, are well known in the art. Such communication may be conducted to effect play of a primary game or a secondary game, in which the play of one gamer is in some way tied to the play of one or more other gamers. As an example, the play of multiple gamers at multiple, communicating gaming stations may be tied in playing black jack or poker by providing cards to each of the gamers from a common set (i.e., from the same “dealer”).
Competitive, or linked, play in bonus games is also known. For example, upon the occurrence of one or more predetermined events in a primary game, or by achieving a particular outcome in a primary game, a gamer may be awarded a “turn” in a bonus game that is played against one or more other gamers. An example of such tied, secondary game play is describe in U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,075, which issued to Anothony A. Marnell, II, et al. on Feb. 28, 1995 (hereinafter “Marnell”). In particular, Marnell describes a gaming apparatus in which a primary gaming apparatus and a secondary gaming apparatus are coupled to one another. The secondary gaming apparatus used by one gamer may communicate with the secondary gaming apparatus of other gamers to provide competitive game play. The exemplary secondary game described in Marnell is a bingo game, which is, of course, a game of chance.
The inventor is not aware of any gaming apparatus or systems that permit a gamer to participate in a so-called “game of skill” or “game of strategy” upon achieving a particular outcome in a primary game or upon the occurrence of one or more predetermined events during play of the primary game.